William Barton is an Aboriginal Australian multi-instrumentalist, known principally for his didgeridoo (yidaki) playing, particularly with classical orchestras.

[2] He learned to play didgeridoo at the age of 11 from Uncle Arthur Peterson,[2] an elder of the Wannyi, Lardil, and Kalkadungu peoples of Western Queensland.

At the age of 15 he toured America, after which he decided he wanted to become a soloist rather than a backing musician and started to study different kinds of music.

In May 2004, ABC Classics released Songs of Sea and Sky, an album of works by Peter Sculthorpe revised for didgeridoo and orchestra.

[citation needed] In 2004 he, along with poet Samuel Wagan Watson and composers Stephen Leek, devised the operatic piece "Die dunkle erde", for the Brisbane Festival.

[7] The piece blended German Gothic horror and Aboriginal culture, and was performed by Watson and Barton on The Music Show in 2011.

[5] In 2005/2006, Barton collaborated with orchestras, choral directors and composers in Australia, America and Europe, developing new commissions for the didgeridoo.

[10] On 5 November 2014, Barton performed at the memorial service for former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in the Sydney Town Hall.

[29] It was founded by the Australia Council in honour of Don Banks, Australian composer, performer and the first chair of its music board.